Means to an end
by Savetheboobies
Summary: Two trolls, a shaman and a warrior fight to rebalance their world. Both veterans to a cause they thought long resolved, they must accept eachothers faults in order to win against an ancient enemy. M/F Troll/Troll. [A little AU since I only started playing during WOTLK and for bringing back an antagonist]
1. Chapter 1

If it weren't for the scorching hot deserts in Durotar it may have seemed like a nice place to live. Away from people, the only things to be bothered with being the beasts. They were easily dispatched. As with any desert, vegetation was scarce. Something that wasn't very good for one who used herbalism on a daily basis. 'So I s'pose Durotar weren't a very likable place. But, it serve as a nice reprieve from da shouldah bumpin o da city.' Vol'Atani reasoned.

It was not that she disliked companionship, she was a troll. Raised in Echo Isles where even meals were something people gathered for every evening. The village was like a big dysfunctional family. They ate together, rose together, did chores together... It was a nice feeling to live so closely to everyone around you. Of course, as with others coming of age, she had soon moved to Sen'Jin village. The customs had remained the same there, even as many were leaving to make something of themselves. The populace dwindled and rose with every passing day. But it was not her own kind that bothered her so.

Not that she was prejudice against other races. She found them all intriguing in their own ways. Cunning goblins, boisterous orcs, beautiful blood elves, peaceful taurens, even the undead had fascinated her with their will to live though they were clearly shunned. Through all this they were also highly annoying in their own aspects as well. Vol'Atani had been away from her home for much longer than she would have liked. Being a very skilled shaman, she had been hand picked by Vol'Jin and Thrall for a long mission in Outland. At first she'd been thrilled. Finally she was seen as her own person and not just some lazy peon. Though the troll woman had not been blessed with immense skill in her chosen class, she'd worked very hard for the status she now held among the horde. 'Da Loa nevah intend dat acheivin greatness be easy.' She thought amusedly to herself.

It hadn't struck her how homesick she would become. 5 long years had separated her from her beloved village. Vol'Atani ran an impatient swipe of her tongue over her bottom lip and tusks. She could almost smell home, nearly taste it. Of course other trolls had been in her batallion as well, darkspears such as her and even others. The vast majority of her comrades had been orc though.

She could see them now, the beautifully hand crafted huts of Sen'jin finally stood out over the cracked and dry desert. A large smile rose from the troll womans face as she began a slow jog towards her home. She had no blood relatives to hold her and rejoice that she had lived. But as a whelp she had made many friends. As she neared the village she could make out the outline of her old mentor. "Hey! Ol' Mastah Gadrin!" She yelled waving her arms above her head. The old witch doctor swiveled his massive head in her direction, the unseeing eyes behind his mask seemed to light with joy as she neared. Vol'Atani all but jumped on him, attracting much attention from the other trolls in the village. Some faces lit with recognition as they stepped forward to welcome home the shaman.

"Tani!" A female's voice sounded. The woman in question looked behind her to see another troll woman waddling towards her in a strange manner. Vol'Atani nearly cried seeing her oldest friend in the state she was. The younger troll woman struggled to hug her around her enormous belly. Master Gadrin laughed at the two. "Finally dis ol' witch doctah git to be a granda." He said proudly as his old student and daughter smiled warmly at each other. "And who put mah 'Dehva in dis state, hm? Were it dat funneh huntah ol' Tani told ya be trouble?" The shaman joked, though, she was sure she was right. Tia'Dehva gave an appalled look. "I dun' remembah dos words 'zactly. I do membah our talk 'bout dose tusks o' his though." Her expression turning devious.

"Mah ears be burnin', muss be some real beauty's talkin bout Tyrus, hm?" Vol'Atani looked passed her very pregnant friend to see said hunter in question. He was a very good looking troll with sunset magenta hair pulled away from his face in a long ponytail, save for some bangs that he blew out of his eyes every so often. He was a lavender colored troll with very large shoulders due to the bow casually strapped to his back. Both women giggled and rolled their eyes at the hunter. "Ope ya ain't causin' mah mate too much excitement. She gettin' ready ta pop any time now." Tyrus said puffing his chest proudly at his mate's state. "Well I see dat you's been busy since I left." The shaman joked putting a tri-fingered hand on her friends belly. The whelp inside seemed to sense the new women's presence and squirmed in his confines. Vol'Atani chuckled pulling her hand back and turning back to her mentor. "I ope nuttin else has changed too much in mah absence." She said finally bowing to the old troll.

Gadrin sighed and his milky eyes seemed suddenly very tired. "We've lost many since yuh left. Di raptahs ave become restless. Nature has been trown outta balance. Tis like a disease be spreadin trough da land." Vol'Atani glanced at her friend who also wore a grave look now. The shaman rose a brow in confusion. She had thought she felt Fel energies as she left Outland but thought it was just the remnants of battles past that have lingered with her. Now that she tried to sense them it seemed as if they came from the land itself.

"But dat's impossible. Di legion at it's weakest now. I watched dere leada fall." Vol'Atani argued furrowing her brow in anger now. "Ow is it dat dere powah seem ta grow?" She mummbled. Scenes of red earth and dark skys seemed to take over her vision. A monstrous form looming over her and her comrades. Kazzak the Supreme he was called. A very formidable foe whose strength took hours to drain. Bodies seemed to fall in slow motion around him. Though he was finally struck down he took far too many with him.

"Maybeh we should go inside." Master Gadrin said starting for his tent and snapping Vol'Atani out of her memory. "Tyrus, take Tia'Dehva home. Tani and mahself 'ave a great many tings ta discuss."


	2. Chapter 2

Vol'Atani looked around the familiar hut. It was decorated with many totems, masks, fetishes, and herbs drying on the walls. The only light emanated from candles in humanoid looking skulls from the floor. In the very center of Gadrin's home was a low table surrounded by colorful cushions.

Master Gadrin motioned to one side of the table before kneeling on a cushion on the other end. He waited until his former student sat heavily on a pillow across from him before he spoke.

"Ah know a great many seasons ave passed since ya first set on ya journey. And ah know ya be wantin ta rest. But wit da way tings ave been progressin, ah not sure ya gonna git dat chance." He started as he removed his mask. Though his face was wrinkled by time and experiences it was easy to see he'd been a very handsome troll once. Most likely full of life and joy as seen in the laugh and smile lines that had marred him. His blind but all seeing eyes spoke of great wisdom and power as they settled on the Shaman across from him. "So it were Kazzak ya destroyed, hm?" It had been more of a statement than a question. Vol'Atani nodded as her teeth began to worry her bottom lip.

"Da Loa ave spoke to me o an ancient evil. So great ah find it chillin to even muttah his name. Da dark titan Sargeras be pushin on da threads o our world once more." Gadrin said slowly as not to startle the young woman.

Vol'Atani had to suck in a breath and calm her self. 'Ow could dat be? Dat monstah was cast out o our world millania ago. Why now would he be tryin ta push back trough?' She took another calming breath before looking into Gadrin's eyes. "Even if dat monstah were ta break trough, what does dat have ta do wit me?" The shaman asked.

"As I said, I been speakin wit da Loa and dey say dat yaself, along wit odda great fightahs are ta face him when he finally breaks ta our plane."

The troll woman sighed taking the information and rolling it around in her head. "Surely da Loa intend someone much stronger than me." Vol'Atani argued. Though she trusted the Loa greatly, they were always obscure. Perhaps they had meant for another troll shaman. Master Gadrin shook his head at her. "Dere be no mistaken dat you were da one dey showed me in da vision. A troll woman o great strength an faith. De odders were too foreign fer me ta make out. Ah do recognise the races though. Anoddah troll, two tauren, two night elf, an a worgen."

The shaman nodded her head grimly in defeat. Taking a deep breath she rose her head to look the old witch doctor in the eye. "What're mah orders?"

* * *

Vol'Atani sighed heavily as she entered her own hut. Her sparse belongings in it seemed to have never been touched. She smiled lightly at the warm familiarity of it all. The furs on the floor, the small dark wood table, and the many trinkets and scrolls she'd acquired in her days as a rookie shaman.

Setting her pack at the edge of the table she moved behind a makeshift wall of fabric to her privy. It was nothing more than a basin, a mirror, and a hole in the ground covered by a ceramic lid for relieving oneself.

The woman in the mirror was not one she quite remembered. Her hair stood tall in a mane of different oranges, many beads feathers and bones twinkled in the dim light. Long braids and dreadlocks fell over her shoulders and skimmed her chest. The once laughing amber eyes that stared back at her now were tired and serious, though a glint of playfulness remained. The womans skin had lost it's perfection and was now marred with numerous light scars but was still luminously aquamarine. Long pointed ears twitched back and forth listening to the ongoings of her peaceful village. One now having a notch in it from having been skimmed by an arrow. Her tusks still shone white curving over full dark lips.

All in all, the shaman couldn't complain. While she was now marred by her experiences, others had lost much more. Limbs, kin, and even lives were torn from the ones that battled so hard to rid their world of the evil fel magic.

Turning away from the mirror satisfied with her appearance she changed out of her gear. Favoring something more casual, the troll pulled on a long beige skirt that had slits up both sides and a twisted bandeau top of the same color. She then carefully picked out a neckpiece that had been her mothers. It was made of mostly bone beads with some glass to form a picture of the sun over the sea. Many different colored feathers hung from the bottom reaching just under her full chest.

Picking at her nails, Vol'Atani stood anxiously in front of her friends hut. She rattled the bone chime at the doorway before making her way in. Tia'Dehva was sat in a rocking chair humming lightly to her self as she crocheted what looked like a pair of tiny pants.

"Nevah would I tink I'd see ya like dis Tia." The shaman giggled as she made her way over to stand infront of her oldest friend. The pregnant troll held up her work to inspect before setting it on her belly and looking to the other woman. "It be surprizenly relaxin. It may seem mundane but ah can't do much else like dis." She grumbled motioning to her enlarged abdomen. Vol'Atani simply laughed at her expense.

Tia'Dehva was very beautiful even in her state. She shared the same light bluish purple skin and wild red hair as her father, but her eyes shown clear and garnet under thick lashes. She wore a simple creme dress made large for her ever growing belly.

"Ah know ya didn jus come 'ere ta make jabs at ol' Tia though. What be on ya mind?" The former druid asked. Though beautiful still, she looked very tired. Vol'Atani sighed.

"I'm ta leave on anodda quest in a days time." She murmured kneeling on a pillow close to the young druid.

Tia'Dehva nodded slowly. "Mah cooky ol' fadda told me bout his dealins wit da Loa. Dat dey had chosen dere champions. I nevah woulda tought it be you though."

"What? Ya tink I'm not worty o such a quest?" Vol'Atani joked trying to lighten the mood.

The young druid quirked a smile but it was quickly replaced by a grim frown. "Ta tell ya da truth, ah didn really spect ya ta return so soon if at all. Wit all ah heard bout da battle in outland, ah was sure da Loa had taken ya." A slow tear made it down her face. Vol'Atani sighed. "Ya know I'm strongah dan dat."

"Ya bein here give me faith in dat. But ya must leave again now on a quest from da Loa dem selves. It be hard ta watch ya leave again." The shaman stood to embrace her friend stroking her hair like a mother. "You o all should know dat we do not question da spirits. Ya know I gon try mah best ta come home in one piece. An I can't wait ta see dat lil whelp o yurs." Vol'Atani grinned patting Tia'Dehva's stomache lovingly.

The druid laughed a bit then smiled as Tyrus finally entered the hut. "Ya ladies bout ta miss suppah." He said goin over to his mate to help her up. Vol'Atani laughed merrily at the strain on Tia'Dehva's face as she tried to stand.

"Ha ha. I canna wait till ya been whelped an I can laugh at you." Tia said dryly waddling her way out of the hut and toward the dinner circle.

* * *

Once all the trolls, and some tauren travelers, had made themselves comfortable around the dinner pyer, Master Gadrin stood before everyone.

"Welcome mah bruddahs, sistahs, and honored guests. Tonight, we welcome home a brave warrior of our tribe. Vol'Atani, please present ya self."

The shaman in question rose from her place beside Tia'Dehva and Tyrus. "I'm honored ta stand before ya, victorious in da battle against da fel demon Kazzak." She said graciously bowing before her peers and mentor. "Tell us bout da battle!" A young voice rang out. Vol'Atani bore a toothy grin and looked to Master Gadrin for permission. He nodded his head and went to take a seat behind his daughter and her mate.

She walked over to were her mentor had been standing and began to speak. As Vol'Atani's tale began, images of the battle swam as a haze in her mind bringing her back to the moment.

* * *

They had finally broken through the innermost defences surrounding Doom Lord Kazzak and the majority of the warriors were nearly drained. The efforts of their healers seemed for naught as the demon began capturing the souls of the dead and using them to heal himself. Vol'Atani struggled to keep her totems in place as she sent spell after spell hurling towards the great demon.

Her remaining comrades consisted of another shaman, three druids, two warriors, four priests, and a slightly insane hunter whose pet was dead a few feet away. The warriors and a tank druid were trying their best to shred his defences as the priests were running low on mana. Kazzak's mark was eating away at their mana and very souls as they struggled to keep the rest of them going.

The battle field was alight with falling stars and star fire that the druids were casting hastily. Vol'Atani and the other shaman struggled to drain the enemy with earth, flame, and frost shocks. Their totems just barely supplying enough mana to the priests. The hunter with them shot many rounds of hollow tipped bullets at the monster but they didn't seem to faze it. It amazed the troll woman that she was still able to avoid the shadow bolts that were hurled sporadically around them.

After what seemed like hours the demon seemed to slowly tire giving hope to the warriors. This was short lived, the shamans totems all suddenly exploded catching Vol'Atani and the orc male off guard. The sheer force sent them and one of the priests flying backward, recovering just in time to see Kazzak swallow the soul of the poor druid who lay dead at his feet.

The demon fought with renewed vigor. Lashing out with his tail and claws, hurling spells tainted with intense amount of fel energy. The orc shaman looked at her with withering determination. "This may be our last fight together." He grunted in orcish. Before Vol'Atani could question him, the burly orc rushed forward with a totem in his hands. He ran behind Kazzak and stabbed the searing totem into his back.

Doom Lord Kazzak let out a mighty roar grabbing the orc shaman and tearing him in two. Blood rained upon the remaining warriors. The remaining shaman stared in awed anger at her comrades stupid move. Droplets of his blood landed on her face, streaking her war paint as she screamed a battle cry releasing a fire elemental totem and sprinting towards the demon with her summoned elemental. She knew it was stupid. She was an elemental shaman, a ranged attacker. The burning wrath she emitted surged into her comrades shocking them with new energy to fight. Vol'Atani swung her frost imbued mace wildly, even being so bold as to use her sheild as a weapon.

Suddenly, the same energy that had caused her totems to explode the first time prickled the air. The shamanistic troll stopped her attack and jumped backwards, waving to get the attention of her comrades. "On mah signal! Focus all ya energy on dah totem in his back!" She yelled gathering a lightning bolt in her hands. The others seemed to follow suite and the two warriors kept the demon distracted.

The energy peaked and she could see the totem bloating. "NOW!" She screamed releasing the lightning in her palms. Starfire, lightning, and a few blasts of flame met the demons back just as the totem exploded, leaving a gaping hole right through him. A shocked look crossed Kazzak's face as he looked down to his now very open chest. A fleeting look of anger passed on his features before he fell to the earth. "The Legion...Will never...Fall." He growled out in his dying breath.

* * *

Vol'Atani was broken from her memory as an eruption of cheers and whoops of joy met her ears. Glancing around at the joyous faces around her, the shaman bowed to her listeners. "Tank ya all for listenin to mah tale, now less eat!" She said walking to reclaim her seat next to her friends. The pregnant druid wrapped her arm around her friend with a warm, soothing look of sympathy on her face.

As food was passed around and eaten, strong drinks were also passed around. Tyrus rose from his seat and raised his mug of mead high, gaining the attention of others who also raised their cups. "Let us honor da warriors who battled valiently so dat we may live in peace!" He said and smiled down at Vol'Atani. Tia'Dehva and herself giggled raising their mugs. "Here, here!" The shaman downed her mug quickly and watched Tia sniff her mug carefully before deciding it was non alcoholic and drinking it, though with less gusto than the shaman.

"When do ya have ta leave?" She asked staring into her drink. The older troll sighed placing her mug down. "Tomorrow mornin I'm ta leave in search o da Raventusk tribe. I must seek comrades dat were chosen by da Loa like I was." She said worrying her bottom lip. "Well, ah wish ya luck den." Tia'Dehva said suddenly smiling brightly. "Dese must be dem crazeh pregnant mood swings huh?" Vol'Atani said surprised at her friends suddenly happy demeaner.

A light blue tri-fingered hand soon obscured her vision. Looking up the shaman easily recognised the male before her. "Kale!" She exclaimed bypassing the hand and hugged the bearer tightly. A deep rumbling laugh erupted from his chest as he embraced her back. "Ya been gone so long I thought ya wouldn't remembah me mon."

"I'd nevah forget ya." Vol'Atani said holding him at arms length. "We can reminisce latah, wanna dance?" The tall troll male asked tugging her towards the other dancers around the dinner pyre. She looked back to her druidic friend who smiled and waved her away before turning to talk to her mate.

Kale tugged her into a massive fray of writhing sweaty bodies before releasing her hand and beginning to turn and shout shaking his body violently in tune with the pounding drums.

The rest of the night flew by in a blur of strong drinks and sweaty dancing, thoroughly exhausting the shaman. She had finally made it back to her hut and laid on her bedroll with a smile on her face. It was quickly replaced by a frown when she remembered this joy would not last. Tomorrow she would have to set out once more on a task that may or may not kill her. All she could do was pray that the Loa were not wrong in choosing her as sleep took her.


End file.
